The Golden LEAF Foundation has partnered with NCICU to provide scholarship support for more than 10 years. Students are eligible for $3,000 per year, and recipients of the Golden LEAF Scholarships must reside in rural counties that are tobacco-dependent or economically distressed. The overall goal of the program is that these students will return home after receiving their degree and help their rural communities.

“The Golden LEAF Foundation is committed to building the talent, knowledge and skill of North Carolina students,” said Dan Gerlach, Golden LEAF president. “The Golden LEAF Scholarship program assists in providing the vital funds needed for a quality education, and therefore, helps level the playing field for economic success in our rural, tobacco-dependent and economically distressed communities.”